Make-up questions to which the following phrases are the answers. The dialogue is between a newspaper correspondent and the editor-in-chief of the newspaper he works for.
| The editor-in-chief: | __? |
| The correspondent: | Yes, I did. I refused to have my article published in the “tabloid”. The theme is too important to be published in popular papers. |
| The editor in-chief: | __? |
| The correspondent: | Yes, of course. I’m sure my article will certainly have an important effect on public opinion. |
| The editor in-chief: | __? |
| The correspondent: | Sure I know. I realize that running a newspaper is an expensive and competitive business. And only reliable sources should be used not to subvert the information. |
Read the following dialogues in parts and then act them out using modifications.
Dialogue 1
| Mike: | Hello, Andrew! |
| Andrew: | Hi, Mike! What’s up? |
| Mike: | I’ve got some terrific news. I’m leaving for the U.S.A. I’ve got a job there. |
| Andrew: | What kind of job is it? |
| Mike: | Well, actually I’m going to work on probation first. But guess what newspaper is ready to take me?! |
| Andrew: | Well, could it be some quality newspaper? |
| Mike: | Well, it’s really so. This is The Washington Post. It enjoys the biggest circulation among American newspapers. The best reporters work there. They publish articles for the readers from all walks of life. |
| Andrew: | Is it a daily or a weekly? |
| Mike: | It’s a daily newspaper. As far as I know it’s policy is to nurture diversity, stimulate and support creativity, encourage active participation and interaction in community and political life. |
| Andrew: | I think all newspapers must bear in mind what role the media should play in the society. |
| Mike: | Right you are. |
Dialogue 2
| Olga: | Mary, do you often watch TV? |
| Well, I suppose that I watch some television most days. My television watching tends to happen late at night for sort of domestic reasons and work resources, so it’s restricted by that. | |
| Olga: | What programmes are your favourite? Do you watch news programmes? |
| Mary: | Actually I watch a lot of news programmes. I nearly always watch the news, or current affairs programmes. I’m quite a sports fan as well, so if there is any sport on I tend to watch it: cricket or football, or something like that, if I’ve got nothing better to do. |
| Olga: | When is television on in your family? |
| Mary: | It’s on in the late afternoon and late at night. But I know that in some homes the television goes on as a kind of background and people don’t actually watch it in any kind of concentrated way. |
| Olga: | Well, I believe some people don’t realize that some TV programmes are a great danger, especially to children. |
| Mary: | You are right in a way, but I think television can be a great benefit to children too. I think there are a lot of good programmes that give them good educational information. And I also think television’s good for introducing children to good literature. There are often good children’s stories which are dramatized for television. |
| Olga: | Well, I can’t but agree with you that television can be both good and evil. One should only be reasonable in the choice of programmes. |
| Mary: | Right you are. |
Dialogue 3
| Julia: | What is the most dangerous thing for children on television? |
| Anna: | In my opinion it is the commercialism. Some programmes are a part of big marketing exercise. There is a tremendous pressure on children to go out and buy so many things advertised in the programmes and I think that is a very dangerous thing indeed. |
| Julia: | Any other danger? |
| Anna: | The other dangerous thing I think, for children is if the television is on indiscriminately and the children get to see programmes not suitable for them. And I think that is a big danger. But that’s up to the parents to make sure that that doesn’t happen, I think. |
| Julia: | What would be a reasonable time to watch television? |
| Anna: | I think the important thing is not how much you watch but how selective you are. |
| Julia: | Actually, I’m of the same opinion. |
8. Make up a short dialogue to the following situation:
You meet your friend who is a TV correspondent. You discuss with him/her the positive and negative effects of television on people, especially on children.
9. Read the text below to find the answers to the following questions:
| a | Why is the press often called a mirror of current events? |
| b | Is television good or evil? |
| c | What are the advantages of radio over other mass media? |
| d | What is a specific feature of the Internet compared to traditional broadcasting media? |
Mass Media
Mass media play a very important role in reflecting the life of society and building opinions. There are different kinds of mass media: press, television, radio, posters, advertisements, etc. All of them do much to excite an interest in every aspect of the country's life. They draw the public's attention to the most serious political, economic, social and ecological problems. They help to develop a broader understanding of the present-day world around us, to form our outlook. So as mass media actually raise the most vital problems, the effectiveness of their influence on the people is great. They keep people informed on all topical issues of the day.
1. Take the press, for example. It is often called a mirror of current events. It includes newspapers and magazines. Public life, rich in interesting and important events, receives full coverage on the pages of our newspapers. The educational role of the press is extremely great. If you are a regular reader of the press, you'll be well-informed in all questions. There are magazines and newspapers for almost every trade, profession, sport, hobby or interest. The editorial usually deals with the topical issue of the day: important international and domestic news items. Different newspaper columns publish material on many different subjects including brief reviews of current events, critical comments on social life, interviews given by famous people. Some newspapers and magazines carry supplements, which are very helpful for readers. In our country there are dailies, weeklies, monthlies. Many big cities have evening papers which give the latest news. People can subscribe to as many papers as they like. As for me, I subscribe to The Computer News. It’s a weekly for specialists and entrepreneurs. In Britain such newspapers are called quality newspapers, because they are serious and cover news thoughtfully. In The Computer News you can find all the necessary information on computer world: new discoveries and inventions, network, software, hardware, interesting and entertaining facts, advertisements. The paper has a supplement, which contains information about the computer market: prices, sellers, types of computers and peripherals on sale.
2.TV has stronger effect on people than any other kind of mass media. In my opinion TV is a great force in the world. We get a great amount of information by watching documentaries, science programmes, discussions, interviews, news commentaries. It gives wonderful possibilities for education. Educational programmes enrich our intellect, broaden our outlook, help us to deepen our knowledge in different subjects. We become more cultured people by learning more. No doubt the entertainment value of TV is great too. All entertainment programmes gather big audiences helping people to relax after a hard day's work. But TV has some disadvantages too. Sometimes we become slaves of TV, devoting too much time to it instead of visiting cinemas and theatres, developing hobbies, belonging to clubs, reading books, meeting our friends. It prevents us from communicating with each other and we begin to forget the art of conversation. A lot of violence, sex, crime is shown on TV nowadays which does much harm especially to young viewers. Besides television may lead to poor health through rushed meals, lack of exercise, eyestrain. TV viewers should take into consideration advantages and disadvantages of TV and be reasonable. And those who are responsible for TV output should set high enough ethical and cultural standards in programme-making.
3.Posters are often used as means of propaganda. They can be a vivid commentary on different events. They may be political, travel, advertising, etc. As many other kinds of mass media they touch on different spheres of our life.
4. Radio is also a very important mass medium. We can't imagine our living without radio. Radio offers us a wide range of programmes. You may choose any radio programmes to your taste. For the most up-to-the-minute, quickest news, no medium currently does better than radio. Radio serves the nation more as the headline service. Many radio news broadcasts are what is called “rip and read”. Radio news today functions best as a first alert for important news and as the best source for recent weather information. Informative and educational value of radio programmes is evident too, besides radio is a source of pleasure and entertainment. Moreover it is a very convenient mass medium, because you can listen to the radio doing all kinds of household chores simultaneously (at the same time).
5. The Internet is a computer-based worldwide information network. The Internet is composed of a large number of smaller interconnected networks called internets. These internets may connect tens, hundreds, or thousands of computers, enabling them to share information with each other and to share various resources, such as powerful supercomputers and databases of information. The Internet has made it possible for people all over the world to effectively and inexpensively communicate with each other. Unlike traditional broadcasting media, such as radio and television, the Internet is a decentralized system. Each connected individual can communicate with anyone else on the Internet, can publish ideas, and can sell products with a minimum overhead cost. In the future, the Internet may have a dramatic impact on higher education and business as more universities offer courses and more companies offer goods and services online.